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Why is Stephen Jay Gould’s view more unlikely to be racist than Darwin’s?

please explain

2007-10-16 17:00:44 · 3 answers · asked by Evermore 3 in Science & Mathematics Biology

gould believed sudden change and darwin believed gradual change

I dont' know how racist plays a role

2007-10-16 17:14:46 · update #1

lol question cannot be wrong
this is last question on my philosophy test i cannot answer!!!!

WORD FOR WORD
Why is Gould's view more unlikely to be racist than Darwin's? 3 POINTS

2007-10-16 17:24:52 · update #2

3 answers

On evolution? Not a likely difference. On social issues of the day and today's issues, yes. Darwin was a man of his time and had some of the assumptions of his time. Stephen Jay Gould was a staunch Darwinian and his theory of punctuated equilibrium is well ensconced within evolutionary theory. To say that their views on evolution were bifurcated along racist lines would be incoherent. Is this some assignment from one of those schools that think they should " teach the controversy ", when there is no controversy to teach?

I do not know how racists plays a role, either. Gould used his theory as support for multi-level selection, such as group and species. How that ties in with racism is beyond me. I suggest you have confused two topics. Some consider the theory of evolution racist, but this is as incoherent as saying the sun rising is sexist. Theories explain what is; they do not prescribe what ought to be.

Sudden change and gradual change are not opposites, especially, when you consider the length of geological time.

Philosophy? That explains it. Only philosophy could come to such a skewed viewpoint. You need to pay attention to your professors point of view, so you can regurgitate it on tests.

2007-10-16 17:16:14 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3 0

Well, first you need to look up Stephen jay Gould's views on evolution. Then look up Darwin's. Contrast and compare. Then you should be able to do your assignment (I assume).

Besides, do yourself a favour and read Gould's stuff. He was fantastic.

Well, obviously you are going to have to read deeper than just the science part. Think about the different times they lived in and how that could influence their thought.

I myself wouldn't know how to answer this without digging deeper, maybe it can't be answered as the two topics seem unrelated. I have never heard of ties between evolutionary thought and racism.

2007-10-16 17:04:55 · answer #2 · answered by Lady Geologist 7 · 1 0

I am afraid that this question suggests that the questioner doesn't really understand Darwin's theory or Gould's theory very well. Possibly there is some reference wanted to the "ladder" of progressive evolution, which was not Darwin's idea but was grafted onto his work later by Social Darwinists, with black people below yellow people below white people.

2007-10-16 18:46:38 · answer #3 · answered by Howard H 7 · 1 0

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